SC upset at govt again for not issuing gazette

The Supreme Court yesterday further expressed discontent at the government for seeking more time to issue a gazette notification on the rules determining the disciplines and code of conduct for lower court judges.

The government has so far sought time from the apex court for around 10 times on different grounds for issuing the gazette notification, the attorney general's office sources said.

Yesterday, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam submitted an application on behalf of the government before the Appellate Division of the SC, saying, “The Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs expects that necessary steps will be taken by the hon'ble president in respect of the proposed rules within four weeks”.

In the application, the government prayed to the SC to adjourn the matter for four weeks “for ends of justice”.

A six-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha was holding a hearing on the Masdar Hossain case, popularly known as separation of judiciary case.

After going through the adjournment application, the SC told the attorney general that this is not a presidential government.

This is a parliamentary democratic system, but, why the president is being referred time and again, the apex court said and questioned.

The SC bench adjourned the hearing of the case for one week.

Mahbubey Alam told The Daily Star that the government has taken time from the SC for ends of justice in respect of making the disciplinary rules for lower court judges on different grounds including that the matter is now up to the president.

He, however, could not specifically say how many times the government has taken time from SC on this issue.

On March 14, the SC expressed dissatisfaction at the government failure to issue the gazette notification.